CHAPTER XX.

_Account of the Delawares.--The Mingoes.--Unite and become the “Five Nations.”--Their bravery and cruelty.--The Five Nations, or Iroquois make war on the Delawares.--Craft of the Iroquois.-- Subjection of the Delawares.--Arrival of William Penn.--His interview with the Indians.--Their love and respect for him.-- Wars with the English colonists.--Destruction of the Indian nation in Pennsylvania._

When William Penn, the good Quaker, landed in the country called from him Pennsylvania, he found it inhabited by a great tribe of Indians, whom he called the _Delawares_. The name which they gave themselves was the _Lenni Lenape_, which means--“_original people_;” and they declared that their tribe was the main stock, or, as they called it, _grandfather_ of all the other tribes in the United States, except the Mingoes or Six Nations, of New York. The account which they give of themselves, before the arrival of the English, as we find it in the history of the good missionary, Heckewelder, who lived among them more than forty years, seems very probable.

They say that many hundred years ago, their ancestors resided in a very distant country in the western part of the American continent. For some reason or other, they determined on migrating to the eastward, and accordingly set out together in a body. After a very long journey of several years, they at length arrived at the Mississippi, or “_river of fish_,” where they fell in with the Mingoes, who had likewise emigrated from a distant country, and had struck upon this river somewhere higher up. They were also proceeding to the eastward, in search of a better country.

They found the region on the other side of the Mississippi occupied by a powerful nation, the _Alligewi_, who dwelt in large towns, and had many extensive fortifications; some of these are yet to be seen in Ohio, and several of the other Western States. This people, seeing such a numerous body of strangers about to enter their country, resolved to oppose them. Accordingly, as the Lenni Lenape were crossing the river, they received from the Alligewi such a furious attack, they were in great doubt whether to force a passage by arms, or to return to their former country.

While they were thus hesitating, at a loss what to do, they received from the Mingoes a promise of assistance, provided they would share with them the land which they should attain. This was at once agreed to: and the two nations together, succeeded after many bloody contests, in utterly defeating their enemies, and driving them down the Mississippi. The conquerors then divided the land between them; the Mingoes[9] taking the country about and north of the great lakes, and the Lenape, that to the southward, lying on the Delaware and Susquehannah rivers.

The Lenni Lenape, or Delawares, as we shall hereafter call them, remained for a long time in peace and prosperity, increasing in number, and enlarging in territory. Their grand _council-fire_ always remained on the banks of the Delaware; but they sent out colonies as far as Maine on the north, and the Potomac on the south. The tribes of New England, the Narragansetts, the Mohicans, and the Pequots, acknowledged their descent from them; the Shawanese and the Miamis of Ohio, and even the Sacs and Foxes of the far north-west, called them _grandfather_.

The Mingoes, on the other hand, remained still but an insignificant tribe on the banks of the St. Lawrence. They were more cruel and savage in their customs than the Delawares, but at the same time less warlike and civilized. In a war which they carried on against the powerful tribe of Adirondacks, they were completely worsted, and compelled to retreat over the St. Lawrence, to the land where is now the State of New York.

Till this time, the Mingo nation had consisted of five independent tribes, unconnected with each other, except by the bond of mutual danger. While suffering under defeat, it came to the minds of some of the chiefs, that if they should all be united, and always act in concert, they would be much more powerful, and less easily conquered, than while each tribe acted, as seemed best to itself, without reference to the others. Accordingly, they proposed to the tribes, a strict union, both in war and in peace. After a long debate, this proposal was assented to; and thus arose that celebrated Indian confederacy, the _Five Nations_, who so long carried on a triumphant and desolating contest, with the other tribes of the continent, and even the whites themselves, and spread the terror of their arms from Labrador to Florida.[10]

They first tried their united strength against the petty neighboring tribes. Some they exterminated, others they expelled from the country, and a few were taken into the union. They next turned their arms against their old enemy, the Adirondacks. Here, also, they were successful; this haughty and once powerful nation was defeated with great loss, and compelled to beg the aid of the French, who had just began to settle in Canada. But the numbers and courage of the conquering Iroquois, as the Six Nations were called by the French, prevailed even over civilized arms and discipline. The Adirondacks were exterminated, and Montreal, the chief colony in Canada, was taken and sacked by them.

The victorious Iroquois now turned their arms against their southern neighbors. But their conquests in this direction were speedily checked by a nation of warriors as haughty and brave as themselves. Their ancient allies, the Delawares, with their numerous dependent tribes, opposed their farther progress; and a war ensued between the two nations, in which the Mingoes, or Iroquois, were worsted.

They now, according to the Delaware traditions, determined to resort to stratagem. They represented to the Delawares, that the Indians of the continent were gradually destroying themselves by their continual wars, and that if a speedy end were not put to the desolating contests, they would soon be too much weakened to resist the encroachments of the whites; it became them, therefore, as members of the same great family, henceforth to bury the hatchet, and live as brothers in peace and contentment. But, in order to bring about this desirable end, it was necessary that some great nation, feared for its power, and respected for its wisdom and antiquity, should take upon itself the office of mediator, between the rest. Such a nation was the Delawares, whose warriors were like the leaves of the forest, and whose origin was lost in the darkness of ages.

By such flattering speeches, the Delawares were at length prevailed upon, in an evil hour, to lay aside the hatchet and act as mediators in the native wars; in the Indian phrase, they consented to become _old women_;--for among these nations wars are never brought to an end, except by the interference of females. For they think it unbecoming a warrior, however tired of the contest, while he holds the hatchet in one hand, to sue for peace with the other.

By consenting to become _women_, the Delawares gave up all right of fighting, even in their own defence. Henceforth, they were to devote themselves to the arts of peace, while the Six Nations were to protect them from their enemies. But the deluded Delawares soon found that the protection which they afforded, was worse than their open enmity. The treacherous Mingoes first secretly excited other nations to war against their defenceless _grandfather_, and then, instead of standing forth to protect him, they left him to the mercy of his enemies.

At the same time, say the Delawares, the English, landing in New England and Virginia, and forming alliances with the deceitful Mingoes, began to add their persecutions to those of their savage foes, and this once powerful and warlike nation, attacked from every quarter, knew not where to turn for relief. In this distressed situation they were, when the good Penn first landed in their country.

When they first saw him coming with his crowd of followers, they naturally expected only a renewal of the ill-treatment and oppressions which they had already suffered from his countrymen. But when they heard his mild and friendly words, and understood his kind offers of peace and brotherly alliance, their delight at this unexpected and happy fortune was unspeakable. It was under the wide-spreading branches of a lofty elm, near the place where now rises the great city of Philadelphia, that the good and the joyful Delawares made their famous treaty of peace and friendship, which was to last as long as the sun and moon should endure. On the part of the Indians, at least, it has never been broken; and to this day, when they see the broad-brimmed hat, and square coat of a Quaker, they say, with a mournful pleasure, “He is a son of our good father Miquon,[11] the friend of the Indians.”

But the friendship of their father Miquon, could not save them from the fate which sooner or later overwhelms the native tribes of this country. The power of their enemies finally prevailed; their lands were seized, their council-fire extinguished, and they, themselves, were driven to seek a refuge in the cold climes of Canada, or in the regions beyond the Mississippi.

A like fate soon overtook their chief enemies, the Six Nations. During the revolutionary war, this people remained always faithful to the English cause, and suffered severely from the arms of the Americans. Since that time, they have rapidly declined, both in numbers and power; some have emigrated to Canada,--but the greater part of the remnant of this warlike nation still remains, sunk in crime and wretchedness, on a few tracts of land which have been reserved for them in the State of New York.

[9] The fear created by the Mingoes, of which the Mohawks were a part, appears to have continued to a late date. Colden, in his “History of the Five Nations,” says, “I have been told by old men in New England, who remembered the time when the Mohawks made war on their Indians, that as soon as a single Mohawk was discovered in the country, their Indians raised a cry, from hill to hill--a Mohawk! a Mohawk!--upon which, they all fled like sheep before wolves, without attempting the least resistance.

“The poor New England Indians immediately fled to the Christian houses, and the Mohawks often pursued them so closely, that they entered along with them, and knocked their brains out in the presence of the people of the house. But if the family had time to shut the door, they never attempted to force it, and on no occasion did any injury to the Christians.”

[10] The _Five_ Nations consisted of the _Senecas_, _Cayugas_, _Onondagas_, _Oneydas_, and _Mohawks_. The _Tuscaroras_, a southern tribe, afterwards joined them, and they were then called the _Six_ Nations.

[11] When the Delawares learned the meaning of the word _Pen_ in English, they always called their white friend, Miquon, which means quill in their language.

[Illustration]

Ruins of Babylon.

Babylon, one of the most famous cities of ancient times, is now a heap of ruins, consisting, chiefly, of immense mounds of bricks. These are situated on the banks of the river Euphrates, and near the modern city of Bagdat.

In one place there is a heap of brickwork 126 feet high, and 300 feet in circumference; to this is given the name of Nimrod’s palace. Another mound is 140 feet high, and 2200 feet in circumference. Among these ruins are found pieces of pottery and fragments of alabaster, carved in various forms.

Another mound, called Birs Nimrod, or tower of Babel, consists of a heap of rubbish 200 feet high, on the top of which is a tower 60 feet high.

How vast must have been the edifices, which have left such mighty heaps of ruins! And yet how complete is the destruction and desolation of this famous city--which once was forty-eight miles in circuit; defended by walls fifty feet in height; filled with thousands of people; the seat of luxury, pride, and pleasure; the abode of princes; embellished with palaces, and hanging gardens, and temples, and all that could delight the eyes of a luxurious nation.

Alas! “Babylon is fallen!” “The glory of kingdoms” is departed. The fearful prophecy of Isaiah, uttered thousands of years ago, when Babylon was still a great and proud city, has been literally fulfilled. “The wild beasts of the desert shall lie there,” says he, “and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.”

Modern travellers, who have visited the spot, tell us that the scene is just what is here depicted. Even the very animals, spoken of by the prophet, are to be met with amid the caves, and ruins, and desolation of the place. What a striking instance is this, of the fulfilment of prophecy!

[Illustration]

Adam and Eve.

The story of Adam and Eve--their residence in the Garden of Eden; their temptation; their fall; their expulsion from the place which was so beautiful, and where they had been so happy; their incurring the displeasure of their Divine Benefactor; their going forth--with prospects so changed--where toil and care should attend them; where thorns and briars must be in their path, and where they must thereafter get their bread by the sweat of the brow,--all this is a picture at once exceedingly touching, and at the same time full of instruction.

Most people are very apt to think that if they had been situated like this first human pair, they should have behaved more wisely. But do we not all of us have nearly the same experience as our first parents? We are all capable of living innocently--and of enjoying the bliss, the Eden, the paradise--which innocence bestows. But we voluntarily cast away our innocence; we eat the forbidden fruit; we commit sin; we become degraded; we lose the favor of God; we stand before him as sinners!

Like Adam and Eve, then, we are cast out; like them we find thorns and briars in our way; like them we encounter cares, and doubts, and fears, and sorrows, in our journey through life. We eat our bread by the sweat of the brow.

Who is there, that does not feel that his errors are his own--that he, and he only, is responsible for them? Instead, therefore, of saying that if we had been placed in another’s situation, we had done better than he has done, let us rather look to ourselves--and instead of palliating or hiding our faults, let us confess them before God, with an humble, and contrite, and obedient heart--and ask forgiveness for them in the name of the Redeemer.

THE MOLE.--It is said that the mole, in its movements under ground, always turns its back to the sun, burrowing from east to west in the morning, and from west to east in the evening.

Merry’s Adventures.